The units and sovereigns have "generic template" definitions, one for male and one for female.  I believe you could just change the base definitions for the male and female "generics" (you'd need to do it separately for regular units and sovs.)

An example of the generic template units (in CoreUnits.xml) are:

<UnitType InternalName="Generic_Altarian_Female"> --> Generic female Altar unit

<UnitType InternalName="Generic_Sovereign_Altarian_Male"> --> Generic male Altar sovereign unit

What I'm not sure about (haven't tried) is whether if you take an existing unit and modify the gender in the unit designer, whether it will switch to the other template (and corresponding gender specific abilities) or whether it will just change the gender attribute.

Crastiloowa, sjaminei, Thank you. I could not find a way to modify unit types of males or females but I found tha way to make abilities dependant on gender. So "blank" males and females are equal but while choosing traits they become different. Each ability has something like <unitsupportedtype>MancerFemale</unitsupportedtype> (something like this). It becomes interesting that in particular situations males are better, for some - females.

There is a hold over tag from Elemental, I can't remember the tag sorry, that boosts a defined stat for defending a city.  In EWoM it was a hp boost depending on city level.

I don't think that is the code I was talking about, it literally has city in the tag line.  I had to send in my computer for RMA and am in the process of reinstalling games.  I saved my core files but games that could be redownloaded were sacrificed.  Otherwise I would have just looked it up.  I should have the time today while at school to abuse the blazing download speeds here.

Spells do. No idea how to translate strategic spells into passive tactical ones though.

There is a way to accomplish this, but you are not going to like the solution.

There is a way to attach a game modifier to each tile from the map editor. Thus, you can load every tactical map and do exactly what you want by adding your own modifiers to these specific tiles. (Not sure of a way to automate the process without actually writing a simple program to do it for you)

Take a look at the TerrainTypes.xml

<TerrainType InternalName="Land">
    <DisplayName>Plains</DisplayName>
    <MaxHeight>55</MaxHeight>
    <MinHeight>45</MinHeight>
    <MovementCost>8</MovementCost>
    <TerrainMovementNote>1x Movement</TerrainMovementNote>
    <Category>Land</Category>
    <IsTerrainFeature>0</IsTerrainFeature>
    <IsBaseTerrain>1</IsBaseTerrain>
    <PassableByLandUnits>1</PassableByLandUnits>
    <PassableByWaterUnits>0</PassableByWaterUnits>
    <PassableByAirUnits>1</PassableByAirUnits>
    <SuitableForStartingLocation>1</SuitableForStartingLocation>
    <Indestructable>0</Indestructable>
    <MinTilesPerSplat>0</MinTilesPerSplat>
    <MaxTilesPerSplat>0</MaxTilesPerSplat>
    <MinBrushRadius>3</MinBrushRadius>
    <MaxBrushRadius>6</MaxBrushRadius>
    <PlacementOrder>0</PlacementOrder>
    <SupportsSubTerrain>false</SupportsSubTerrain>
    <IsBorderTerrain>0</IsBorderTerrain>
    <CannotBorder>Category:Water</CannotBorder>  
    <MapGenPlaceChance>100</MapGenPlaceChance>
    <GameModifier InternalName="CityTileYield_Fertile">
        <ModType>Resource</ModType>
        <Attribute>TileYieldGrain</Attribute>
        <Value>1.5</Value> 
        <PerTurn>1</PerTurn>
    </GameModifier>
    <TerrainTypeEnvData>
        <Environment>Barren</Environment>
        <Texture>gfx/terrain/barren_ground_rough.dds</Texture>
        <TextureWeight>1.0000</TextureWeight>

        <TerrainPropData>P_Berren_Land_01,10</TerrainPropData>
        <TerrainPropData>P_Berren_Land_02,10</TerrainPropData>
        <TerrainPropData>P_Berren_Land_03,10</TerrainPropData>
        <TerrainPropData>P_Berren_Land_04,10</TerrainPropData>
        <TerrainPropData>P_Berren_Land_05,10</TerrainPropData>
        <TerrainPropData>P_Berren_Land_06,10</TerrainPropData>
        <TerrainPropData>P_Berren_Land_07,10</TerrainPropData>
        <TerrainPropData>P_Berren_Land_08,10</TerrainPropData>
        <TacticalMap>T_Barren_Land_01</TacticalMap>
        <TacticalMap>T_Barren_Land_02</TacticalMap>
        <TacticalMap>T_Barren_Land_03</TacticalMap>
        <TacticalMap>T_Barren_Land_04</TacticalMap>
        <DistanceFogColor>94,89,76</DistanceFogColor>

        <ClothMapColor>205,185,130</ClothMapColor>

    </TerrainTypeEnvData>

I have bolded where the tactical maps are places and in this case it chooses 1 of these four at random when on this environment. Also, notice that this has a game modifier within the actual terrain data. Now I DO NOT KNOW if you can apply a terrain game modifier like bonus to init directly in this terrain data (mind you it is a core file change as I do not think terraintypes get overwritten (not sure about this either)).

The map editor has a subsection which allows you to place game modifiers on the map itself, or event triggers. I haven't experimented at the moment with these triggers or game modifiers on Tactical maps, but I suspect it should work. Have fun creating.

Thanks parrottmath will check it out.

Not sure if that is possible. Although you can force a spell not to cast unless you have a building. Just don't think you can target a specific city only when a specific building is inside though.

Unless you want to go about the you can cast it but it's useless method. Give the city a resource / trait that is 1 when it has it 0 otherwise and set up the benefit or consequence and multiply it by this trait value, if it is a value type trait. Otherwise I cannot think of it at the moment. 

N/A

You can use that Calculation in the AI data, but not sure if you can use the city population tag. I think it is possible.

OwnerCity is the Owner of the city (your city would be you) and TargetCity is the city itself.

The spell casting is a Yes / No not a less likely from my experience. If it is not working then there is an issue with the variables.